While Tokyo continues to be the highest-ranked Asian city in the annual Global Power City Index, published by the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies, the metropolis has yet to realize its full potential as a hub for international business. Mori Building Co., Ltd., the urban landscape developer whose name has become synonymous with the Minato Ward skyline, has a plan to change this. The company is undertaking four redevelopment projects in the Toranomon Hills area that will address Tokyo’s shortcomings through a concept they call the “Vertical Garden City.”

In June, consumer electronics developer Netatmo launched a revolutionary home security device in Japan. The Netatmo Welcome uses cutting-edge face-recognition technology to identify family members and regular visitors to your home, while alerting you to strangers. BIJ.TV joined the product launch, where Netatmo COO Matthew Broadway spoke about “smart home security.” He tells BIJ.TV about how the Netatmo Welcome is breaking ground and why it appeals.

Following the establishment of Spring Professional Japan, Lanis Yarzab, the firm’s managing director, discusses challenges in the recruitment sector. Discover her approach to finding the perfect talent for different roles, and solutions for improving hiring processes. As Womenomics gathers pace, so, too, are companies’ efforts to hire women. In this exclusive interview, she tells BIJ.TV about what companies can do to ensure those efforts pay off, and female leaders become established.

Innovative cities and urban development were talking points for Shingo Tsuji, president and CEO of Mori Building Co., Ltd., at MIPIM Japan 2015 in May. Describing how innovations and social movements drive nations forward, he said lots of change is occurring in Japan thanks to Tokyo’s focus on 2020. For example, while the Japanese market had been stagnant for the last 20 years, investment is now coming from abroad. In this interview, he tells BIJ.TV about the knock-on effect of a city’s magnetic power, and advises on what should be done to encourage global companies to establish their Asian headquarters in Japan.

World-renowned architect Kengo Kuma discusses respect for nature and history in architecture in this interview with BIJ.TV. Speaking at MIPIM Japan 2015, a conference for professionals in the real estate industry, Kuma explained how respecting history means valuing the wisdom of people who, with care and passion, have created that history. Key to this are the architects of our cities and towns. Hear his ideas to boost Japan economically and culturally, how his vision of a smart city differs from that of many people around the world, and what he believes is Japan’s treasure.

BIJ.TV caught up with former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone at MIPIM Japan 2015, an inaugural conference for professionals in the real estate industry. Livingstone, who was mayor when London successfully bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, was a guest speaker at the event, addressing a number of topics including city investment, sustainability, legacy and lessons learned from the Games. With Tokyo 2020 approaching, now is a great opportunity to learn from the man who began the UK’s journey to London 2012— one of the most successful host cities.

Forget all the hype, the real value of people development in Japan is what is being created, day in day out, at the point of team skill build. Discover why we should only choose elite instructors and how we can make sure our Japan operation is performing at the highest level. Dale Carnegie Training Japan’s Director of Training and Global Master Trainer Yuichiro Ishihara shares the secrets of how to develop team capability in Japan.

Dr Greg Story, president of Dale Carnegie Training Japan, on the importance for great leaders of good ties with their sales team.

Andrew Wylegala, senior commercial officer for the U.S. Commercial Service at the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, talks on promoting jewellery in Japan and attracting tourists to the US.

Andrew Wylegala, senior commercial officer at the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, and Takahiko Suzuki, a commercial specialist at the embassy, explain Japan’s renewable energy needs.